It describes the plans as a "medium term" option to undermine illegal people traffickers and deter unfounded asylum applications.

Zones of protection

The British document also gives more details of plans first leaked last month for "zones of protection", or safe havens, run by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR).

"The European Union cannot carry on pursuing old solutions to the asylum problem that do not work, and do not tackle the root causes of migration flows and refugee displacement," said Mr Blunkett.

"We need to be able to show our citizens at home that European asylum policy is not simply a gateway for uncontrolled migration, but rather a firm and fair procedure for those who genuinely need refuge.

"We need a radically new approach to delivering the reduction of asylum seeker numbers that we need.

"We cannot let the people traffickers and the organised criminals go on profiting from this evil trade and we must take radical steps to actively deter abusive applications too."

Possible hosts

The paper says the transit processing centres could be in third countries but does not name any specific areas, although Russia and Ukraine have been mentioned in previous leaked documents.

Those in the centres who were granted asylum would be resettled in participating EU states on a "burden-sharing basis".

Unsuccessful applicants would be returned home.

Those who could not be returned to their country of origin because of safety concerns could be granted temporary leave to stay in the EU, it adds.

The paper goes on: "We envisage that there will always be certain categories of people, such as disabled persons or minors, who would never be sent to a transit centre."

Mr Blunkett said the regional protection zones would address the issue of asylum claims arising from regional conflicts or natural disasters.

People who fail to win asylum who cannot be returned to unsafe home countries could be returned to the safe havens until conditions improve at home, the paper suggests.

The UK would take a "leading role" in developing and implementing the proposals, Mr Blunkett said.

Nearly 111,000 asylum seekers arrived in the UK last year and Prime Minister Tony Blair has set a target to reduce numbers by half by September.